Half Marathon Raises £3000 for Chiltern Centre

The Henley Half marathon, held each year in October, has donated £3000 to The Chiltern Centre in Henley. The event, which has been running since 1983 and for the last 3 years has been run by Henley Rugby Club and organised by Chris Nixon (Club Chairman) and Craig Thornton (Krono:sports), has been growing in popularity with more than 1500 runners taking part in the last event.

As well as providing a sporting opportunity and spectacle for the town, any profits made go to local good causes and as support for the event grows, so does the pot that can be given out each year.

The pair took over the running of the event from The Rotary Cub three years ago and it now has four categories that can be raced in, with something for everyone. Runners can take part in the Henley Half – a 13.1 mile course, 10km, 5km or the family friendly, 1km Fun Run. The whole thing is designed to be as inclusive as possible with beginners and young children welcomed, through all levels and abilities, up to experienced runners.

The Half Marathon course follows a beautiful scenic route through Henley, over the famous bridge, and along the Thames Valley before returning beside the river, back over the bridge and up Heartbreak Hill, finally returning, once again, to the rugby club.

Chris Nixon explained that Henley Rugby Club have been long time supporters of The Chiltern Centre, with many members having links to the organisation and/or the young people and families it helps. “Being able to support local charities is so important and we have been doing this for decades, raising hundreds of thousands of pounds over that time.”

“We really want people to know that the more people that get involved, the more money we can raise so we want to encourage as many people as possible to sign up and give it a go!”

Izzy Ansell, who received the cheque for The Chiltern Centre, along with some of the young people they work with and their helpers, said: “We are incredibly grateful to Henley Rugby Club and its members for their amazing efforts in running the half marathon and supporting The Chiltern Centre. Raising £3,000 is a fantastic achievement, this generous donation will make a real positive difference in the lives of the young people that we support. It’s inspiring to see our local club come together to give back to the community. We’re really proud of our longstanding relationship and we truly appreciate their kindness and dedication over so many years. Thank you to everyone who took part and to those who donated – your support means the world to us.”

Chris also explained; “There are also many volunteers that help out on the day. Some individuals but also local organisations like the Army and Sea Cadets, Masonic Groups, Henley College and of course the Rugby club provides volunteers as well. These groups also benefit from a donation towards their organisation, so it really does help the local community.”

Entries are open for the 2025 event, which will be held on 19 October 2025, so anyone wishing to support their local community and challenge themselves or have a goal to work towards, the link is here: Henley Half